Welsh Premiership weekend predictions

Aberavon v Llandovery

Top visits bottom on Saturday afternoon and you’d be hard pressed to find anyone, Aberavon supporters included, that thinks the Wizards will be able to get the better of the unbeaten league leaders.

Llandovery should win and they’ll be targeting yet another four-try bonus point but after pushing Munster ‘A’ close in the British & Irish Cup last weekend there is hope for Aberavon and it may well not be the cricket score that most might be predicting.

Verdict – Llandovery by 17 points

Cardiff v Llanelli

Even with a couple of Blues players in the squad, Cardiff were pretty hopeless against Bridgend last time out and if they play anything like that at home to Llanelli they’ll be on the end of another hiding.

The sides can’t be separated when it comes to the league having won four, lost three and picked up three bonus points to find themselves level with each other on 19 points.

Verdict – Llanelli by seven points

Cross Keys v Bedwas

These rivals meet at Pandy Park on the back of two successive defeats in the B&I Cup which wasn’t in keeping with their league form – Bedwas are third, Keys are fourth.

Keys always tend to play better at home though so that factor should come in to play and they will have the extra incentive of knowing that victory would send them above the visitors in the table.

Expect it to be tight though as these two also share the same record so far this season of five wins and two losses.

Verdict – Cross Keys by six points

Neath v Bridgend

Impressive wins last Saturday would have boosted the confidence of both sets of players no end after indifferent openings to the league campaign, particularly Neath.

Jamie Murphy was on top form with the boot for Bridgend against Cardiff so Neath will have to be wary that if they don’t keep their discipline they could well be punished.

Verdict – Neath by eight points

Swansea v Carmarthen Quins

It’s typical of the fixture computer that a week after these two met in the cup they should be going at it again in the league, albeit at St Helen’s on this occasion.

Quins racked up 40 points reasonably comfortably in Carmarthen last Friday night, winning 41-17, so although they’re at home, Swansea start as second favourites.

Mefin Davies is likely to field a much changed line-up on Saturday but there’ll have to be a vast improvement if his men are to get anything from this one.

Verdict – Quins by 10 points

Newport v Pontypridd (Sunday)

Like the top match, this one appears to be a straight-forward win for the visitors as they try to keep pace with Llandovery at the top of the table.

But again, like Aberavon, Newport go into it following a confidence-boosting display at Cross Keys in the cup. Unlike Aberavon, they managed to win and if they can get the home support behind them they could pose Pontypridd a couple of problems, but not enough to triumph.

Verdict – Pontypridd by 12 points

By David Williams